In our 68th episode, Mike Couillard and Jeremy Brewer open by discussing the Roki Sasaki posting along with awards and Angels news. Then we overview two Topps sets releasing this week, Chrome Update and Holiday, which hit shelves on Nov. 13 and Nov. Please, blog, may I have some more?
Welcome back to another week of Top Dynasty Keepers for 2025. The spotlight turns to shortstops this week.
Unlike second base, which has a pretty steep drop off in talent outside the top 15 or so players, the shortstop position is loaded with talent, the type of talent that is ranked among the best in baseball, not just this position. The players ranked in Tier 2 will still provide solid production and that continues into the players ranked in Tier 3.
And this talent is young. Of the 30 players ranked in Tiers 1 through 3, 23 of them are under the age of 30. Missing out on a Tier 1 player is not going to cripple your team.
Now, let's get to the rankings.
1. SS Leodalis De Vries | 18 | A | 2027
Considered by some scouts to be the best international amateur prospect in a decade, De Vries is a 6’0” 183 lb switch hitter who is currently standing on business in the Arizona Fall League against much older players. That’s nothing new to De Vries, who slashed .231/.361/.441 with 11 home runs and 13 steals in 75 Low-A games this season despite an ice cold start after skipping several levels. Over his final 36 games, his line was .288/.407/.582 with ten home runs and eight steals, putting him on a trajectory toward the top of your prospect lists.
Saw a video of Zac Veen, after he added 20 pounds of muscle in 2020, and I have to say he had a better quarantine than me. He must’ve been keeping in such good shape in 2020 because people were chasing him after accidentally spoonering his name. Please, blog, may I have some more?
As mentioned in the Dylan Crews fantasy, guys who are up are good. Better even. Maybe. That’s actually subjective. Better, I mean. “What’s better?” I believe that was Socrates quote. Not the famous philosopher. Guy I went to school with named Socrates who would always be asking, “What’s better? Please, blog, may I have some more?
1. C OF Dalton Rushing | 24 | AAA | 2025
I started this list thinking it might be impossible for any of these guys to crack baseball’s best lineup this season, but there’s a non-zero chance Rushing winds up an opening day outfielder in Los Angeles. They’ll certainly bring in a veteran or two, but his primary competition today would be Andy Pages and James Outman. A left-handed hitter at 6’1” 220 lbs, Rushing hit 26 home runs in 114 games across Double and Triple-A last season, slashing .271/.385/.512 on the strength of his trademark patience at the plate.
In this post, which the powers that be (me) have started calling: Searching For Sugar, Man. Not Searching for Sugar Man, the documentary that won the Academy Award. This is putting Paul Skenes into a giant sugar packet and searching for more of that. Please, blog, may I have some more?
In our 67th episode, Mike Couillard and Jeremy Brewer open by discussing the World Series, Gold Glove awards, qualifying offers, and initial offseason moves. Then we overview our favorite annual baseball card release, Topps Stadium Club, which hit shelves everywhere on Nov. Please, blog, may I have some more?
World Series is over and the election has come and gone, meaning we are fully into the baseball offseason, and we are also knee-deep into the Top Dynasty Keepers for 2025. This week’s rankings focus turns to the second basemen.
Overall, these rankings feature a young group of players. Please, blog, may I have some more?
1. 3B Charlie Condon | 21 | A+ | 2026
The 6’6” Condon mashed 37 homers in his junior season while slashing .433.556/.1009 despite SEC pitchers doing their best to work around him. Things didn’t go as well after Colorado selected him third overall in this year’s draft. I was a little shocked to see him slash .180/.248/.270 with 34 strikeouts in 25 High-A games. Might create a bit of a buy-low window in First-Year-Player Drafts this winter.
Almost didn’t write this one. Not because he’s not worthy, but Jordan Lawlar received one of these posts in the past, and, honestly, if I wasn’t so lazy, I’d search through past archives and prolly unearth two or three more Jordan Lawlar fantasy outlook posts. Please, blog, may I have some more?